Abstract: A fuel injector for use in conjunction with a common rail supply system comprises a nozzle within which a valve element is slidable. The valve element includes a thrust surface to which fuel is supplied from a source of fuel at high pressure through a supply passage. The pressure controller in the form of a restrictor is located in the supplied passage so that, in use, during injection the fuel pressure applied to the thrust surface falls to a level lower than that prior to injection.

Abstract: An injector is described which comprises a valve element engageable with a seating, the valve element being resiliently biased into engagement with the seating. The valve element includes a thrust surface arranged, in use, to have high pressure fuel applied thereto to lift the valve element from the seating. A stop in the form of a second valve member is arranged to restrict movement of the valve element away from the seating, the second valve member being arranged to have high pressure fluid applied thereto and being movable under the influence of the valve element against the action of the high pressure fluid, in use.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a radial piston pump, and more particularly to a radial piston pump suitable for delivering liquid at a high pressure and at a volumetric output rate which can be controlled independently of the speed of rotation of the pump drive shaft. A radial piston pump(1) is provided which comprises a multiplicity of radially extending cylinders(14) each of which is provided with a radially moveable pumping plunger(15) to define, within the cylinder, a pumping chamber(16) which may be increased in volume by a movement of its associated plunger(15) in one direction to receive a liquid to be pumped and may be reduced in volume by movement of its associated plunger(15) in the opposite direction to deliver a liquid at high pressure to an output line. The pump(1) also comprises means for selectively disabling one or more of the pumping chambers(16) so that the or each disabled pumping chamber delivers no pumped fluid to the output line.

Abstract: A fuel injection nozzle is disclosed which comprises a valve needle slidable along a first axis to control fuel delivery by the nozzle, and an actuator including a member moveable along a second axis to control movement of the valve needle. The first and second axes are offset from one another, thus the wall of a body housing the valve needle and actuator includes a region of relatively great thickness.

Abstract: A vehicle anti-lock braking (ABS) system having a motor-driven pump (10) for providing a hydraulic supply to the ABS system. The pump motor (10) is controlled by a series device in the form of an electronic switch (16), such as a MOSFET, to enable frequent testing of the motor circuit by short pulses which produce no significant noise. Feedback to control motor speed is obtained by measuring the e.m.f. generated by the motor (16) after it has been switched off and after a delay to allow the back e.m.f., caused by switching off the motor, to decay (preferably to zero) before the measurement operation begins. The generated voltage is integrated during a motor switch-off period, the motor speed being established in this period by subtracting the measured integrated voltage when acting as a generator from the main supply voltage (B+) .

Abstract: A valve arrangement is disclosed which comprises a body provided with a bore, first, second and third passages communicating with the bore at axially spaced locations. A valve member is engageable with a first seat to control fluid flow between the first and second passages. A valve element is engageable with a second seat to control fluid flow between the second and third passages. A spring biasses the valve element away from the second seat, and an extensible member interconnects the valve element and the valve member. The valve member is thus biased toward the first seat.

Abstract: An anti-skid braking system for wheeled vehicles having fluid actuated brakes associated with the vehicle wheels, has speed sensors associated with the vehicle wheels, a control device responsive to speed signals from the speed sensors to actuate a pressure dump device to periodically release the fluid pressure applied to the brake of any wheel which is determined to be about to lock and to later re-apply the actuating pressure to that brake when the tendency of that wheel to lock has reduced, pulsing of the pressure dump device at intervals during the pressure re-apply phase to cause a repeated interruption to the re-application of pressure to that brake. The pulse timing of the pulsing of the pressure dump device is controlled by the occurrence of wheel angular deceleration being determined to be equal to or in excess of a predetermined threshold value, the magnitude of which is dependent upon events from the previous anti-lock braking cycle.

Abstract: An advance mechanism for a pump comprises a fluid operable piston arranged to have pressurized fluid applied to a first end thereof to adjust the axial position of the piston. The arrangement further comprises means for applying fluid under pressure to a part of the piston remote from the first end thereof in order to apply a torque to the piston. In one embodiment, the means for applying comprises a passage extending within the piston, the passage communicating with the first end of the piston such that high pressure fluid is received by the passage.

Abstract: A lamp assembly comprises a reflector body having a rear opening for receiving a replaceable light bulb. The reflector body is adjustably mounted on a support by an adjustment mechanism comprising a plurality of ball-and-socket joints. The socket of each joint is defined by a pair of arms having mutually co-operating socket parts. The arms of said pair are pivotally secured together for relative movement between a closed position in which the respective ball is held in the socket defined by the socket parts of the pair of arms, and an open position in which the respective ball of the joint can be engaged with/disengaged from the respective socket. A latch mechanism is provided for releasably retaining the pair of arms in said relatively closed position.

Abstract: A fuel injection pump includes a casing; a drive shaft rotatably mounted in the casing and extending from a drive receiving end which is located outside of the casing to a point inside the casing; and first and second spaced apart seals each for preventing the flow of fluid between the casing and the drive shaft at the location of the seal. A chamber is formed between the drive shaft and the casing, the chamber being bounded at opposite ends thereof by the seals, and a vent passage extends from the chamber to a point on the surface of the casing to vent the chamber. The vent passage includes a portion defined by the clearance space between a screw threaded opening and a screw threadedly engaged with the opening. The screw is preferably a screw which secures the casing to the engine supplied by the pump.

Abstract: A governor arrangement for an internal combustion engine is disclosed which comprises a plurality of weights rotatable with a rotatable drive shaft and pivotable with respect to the shaft. The weights are engageable with a washer which, in turn, engages a sleeve. The sleeve engages a lever the position of which is used to control the setting of a metering valve. A hydrodynamic bearing arrangement is provided between the sleeve and washer. A drive arrangement may be provided to drive the washer when the rotational speed of the shaft is insufficient to cause the weights to move the sleeve.

Abstract: A lock for a thrust reversal system of a gas turbine engine includes a pivotal locking member which is moved into the locking position by the engagement of a part of the thrust reversal system as the latter is moved to the inoperative position. The locking member is held in the locking position by a pin which engages within an opening formed in the locking member. The pin is biased by a spring and is movable by a hydraulic piston against the action of the spring to withdraw the pin from the opening.

Abstract: A hydraulic master cylinder having a cylinder body (1) with a piston (3) slidable therein. The piston carries a sealing assembly (20) to permit pressurization of a pressure chamber (6) and fluid recuperation upon retraction of the piston. The sealing assembly includes a first seal (23) of relatively hard material slidable against the internal cylinder wall and a relatively resilient second seal (25) arranged to act between the sealing surfaces of the piston and the first seal to provide a fluid tight pressure seal during pressurization of the chamber.

Abstract: A fuel system is disclosed which comprises a fuel pump, a spill valve and an injector provided in a single unit. The injector includes a valve member biased towards a seating by a coiled compression spring. The spring is engaged between a spring abutment of the valve member and a piston. The piston is arranged such that the face thereof facing away from the spring has fuel applied thereto when the spill valve is opened in order to assist movement of the valve member into engagement with the seating.

Abstract: A fuel control system for a gas turbine engine comprises a main metering valve and a backup metering valve connected in series. A control circuit supplies demand signals such that, during normal operation, the main metering valve controls fuel flow and the back-up metering valve tracks the main valve but at a position which corresponds to a higher flow.

Abstract: An anti-skid braking system for wheeled vehicles having fluid actuated brakes associated with the vehicle wheels. The anti-skid braking system includes speed sensors associated with the vehicle wheels, a scanning control device response to speed signals from the speed sensors to actuate a pressure dump device to periodically release the fluid pressure applied to the brake of any wheel which is determined, by detection of a predetermined level of relative slip between that wheel and the road surface to be about to lock. Later, the system, by detection, can re-apply the actuating pressure to that brake when the tendency of that wheel to lock has been reduced.

Abstract: A brake booster having a fluid actuated piston in the form of a diaphragm (5) to which the supply of fluid is controlled by a valve mechanism (8A, 14A, 17), actuated by a driver-operated force input member (16) which acts via a reaction element (19) on an output member (10) providing power assisted input to a master cylinder. The booster includes a force transmission assembly (14,8) providing surfaces through which force is transmitted between the input and output members (16,10). A spring (24) is arranged to yield under a predetermined force to permit relative movement between parts (14) and (8) such as to change the ratio of the operative surface areas and thereby increase the boost ratio.

Abstract: A filter system forming part of the fuel system of a compression ignition engine includes a housing which carries a filter element. The housing has a first inlet which opens into a chamber defined between the housing and chamber the first inlet being connected to a fuel tank, and a first outlet for fuel which has passed through the element and which is connected to a fuel injection pump. The housing has a second inlet which is connected to the chamber and receives heated fuel from the fuel pump and a second outlet which is connected to the chamber through a port. The second outlet is connected to the fuel tank. A third outlet is connected to the second inlet and is connected to a flame type starting aid of the engine. Valve means responsive to the temperature of the fuel in the chamber controls fuel flow through said port.

Abstract: In a control system, for instance forming part of a vehicle anti-lock brake system, a plurality of control processors provides similar or identical control signals of the system in response to a shared transducer input. An independent data correlation processor compares data generated in the control processors for correlation and, in the absence of proper correlation, provides an indication which may be used to disable anti-lock operation of the brake system. In preferred embodiments, a four wheel vehicle with an anti-lock brake system is monitored by dual microprocessors. Each wheel has a speed sensor which supplies an input to each microprocessor. The data correlation processor compares the outputs of the microprocessors for each wheel and sends and alarm or disables the anti-lock brake system if the difference in the microprocessors output is beyond a limit amount.

Abstract: A winding support for a rotary electrical component has axially extending poles and a plurality of windings which are wound on the poles so as to project beyond axial ends of the poles spaced apart in the direction of an axis of rotation of the rotary electrical component. The winding support comprises a first part formed from insulative material having spaced apart fingers to be positioned in respective spaces between the windings projecting beyond an axial end of one said pole and a second part arranged to be fastened to the first part for holding the windings in place relative to the first part. The first part preferably comprises a separator member having the spaced apart fingers thereon and a support member for the separator member arranged outboard of and formed of a different material from the separator member.